The push continues to overhaul the Nantucket, Massachusetts, offshore wind project.
The company, Vineyard Winds, heads to federal court Thursday as officials continue to raise concerns over the impact of the wind turbines in the area.
The hearing was scheduled well before the blade broke off one of the wind turbines off the shores of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard on July 13.
Responsible Offshore Development Alliance has been fighting back against the $4 billion Vineyard Wind project since 2022, arguing that regulators failed to conduct any safety, engineering or structural integrity reviews of the turbines and its negative impact on the fishing industry in that area.
However, the recent turbine accident will be top of mind in the hearing, as it was in the Nantucket Select Board meeting Wednesday night.
Representatives of the blade manufacturer explained it was not a fundamental design flaw and not an installation issue, but a manufacturing deviation and inspection issue.
The select board chair said town representatives will meet with the company next week to establish a process for reimbursing the community for costs and damages sustained because of the accident and recovery efforts, as well as renegotiating the terms of its Good Neighbor Agreement with Vineyard Wind.
“We are deeply concerned about the safety, environmental and economic impacts of this catastrophe on our local residents and visitors to the island. The select board is committed to holding Vineyard Wind and GE, the manufacturer of the turbine blades accountable,” said Brooke Mohr, Nantucket Select Board chair. “We demand 100% transparency from both Vineyard Wind and GE about exactly what occurred during the blade failure, and exactly what chemicals and materials are in the debris that has washed up on our beaches and remains in the water column around Nantucket.”
A GE representative said they are in the process of inspecting all turbines, including the damaged one.
They’ll be back out there are 7 a.m. Thursday, slowly rotating it and watching for any debris as they begin the process to safely remove it.
